ALEX RUSSELL, ZACHARY KNIGHTON STAR IN RELIGIOUS PARODY: 'BELIEVE ME'

AUSTIN, Texas, June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- This is not your father's "Christian" film . . . or anyone's for that matter.

Comedy, satire, heist . . . Riot Studios—creators of the surprise hit documentary BEWARE OF CHRISTIANS—debuts its first feature film, BELIEVE ME, in theaters and on demand on Sept. 26. Irreverent, funny and insightful, BELIEVE ME poses a simple question: "Why believe someone just because he's speaking on a stage?"

"Four college friends see people believe any voice that shouts loud enough, and they use it for their own gain by starting a fake charity," said Director Will Bakke. "BELIEVE ME looks at the power of platforms, particularly among today's young Christians."

Featuring rising stars Alex Russell—who shot to fame in CHRONICLE—and Zach Knighton (Happy Endings), BELIEVE ME also features Johanna Braddy (EASY A), Miles Fisher (FINAL DESTINATION 5), Sinqua Walls (Teen Wolf) and Max Adler (Glee), with Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) as Sean and Christopher McDonald (Boardwalk Empire) as Ken. Grammy Award-winning rapper LeCrae makes his feature debut in the film.

VIEW TRAILER HERE

In BELIEVE ME, Sam Atwell (Russell) stands on stage as thousands of fans go wild. Smart, charismatic, handsome, he moves them with his message, and when he calls for donations to his charity, the money pours in.

Only thing is, Sam doesn't believe a word he's saying.

Just months earlier, Sam was a typical college senior focused on keg stands, hookups and graduation. But when a surprise tuition bill threatens his dream of law school and leaves him thousands of dollars in the hole, he's forced to think outside the box. He convinces his three roommates they can make a killing on the gullible church crowd and the guys start a sham charity, campaigning across the country, raising funds for a cause as fake as their message.

For Sam, embezzlement is easy compared to getting attention from the only person he cares about. When Callie, the tour manager and Sam's love interest, finally discovers the guys' ruse, it's Sam's moment of truth.

On the final night of the tour, before a packed auditorium and alone in the spotlight, Sam Atwell has to decide what he really believes.

"BELIEVE ME is a parody on religious scandals," co-producer and co-writer Michael B. Allen said. "It holds up a mirror for viewers to see themselves and their assumptions from a new perspective."

BELIEVE ME is produced by Alex Carroll and co-produced by Sandhya Shardanand, Gary Cogill, Richard Toussaint and Steve Markham. John Rutland is director of photography with casting by J.C. Cantu.

A Riot Studios Production in association with Lascaux Films, BELIEVE ME is distributed by Headline Features and Gravitas Ventures. The film releases in theaters and on demand Sept. 26, 2014.

For interviews, contact: Michael Conrad  [email protected] 214-616-0320

And visit BelieveMeFilm.com/pressroom.

About Riot Studios  RiotStudios.com
Riot Studios made headlines in 2012 with the unique content and distribution model of its second documentary BEWARE OF CHRISTIANS. The film followed Riot's Bakke, Allen, and Carroll around Europe as they gathered man-on-the-street interviews about Christianity and Christians—part college road comedy, part thought-provoking dialogue on how trying to follow Jesus in the 21^st century might look. Riot Studios exists to tell stories that compel viewers to challenge their beliefs, weigh the alternatives, and laugh while doing so. They aspire to make transparent and thoughtful art through film.

About Lascaux Films  LascauxFilms.com
Lascaux Films is a Dallas based production company, led by Richard Toussaint, MD, Wade Barker, MD, and Gary Cogill. Lascaux Films was launched in 2010 and is engaged in the development, production and financing of motion picture films. Lascaux has emerged onto the scene with a series of quality projects. Words and Pictures, a Latitude Productions and Lascaux Films produced film, is scheduled for release by Roadside Attractions on May 23, 2014 and Life Itself, starring Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton, co-produced and co-financed by Lascaux, is slated for release later this year.

SOURCE Riot Studios